In 2000, television slipped us a Canadian-made miniseries called Nuremberg. It didn’t just cover the trial of the century, it dug into the unnerving assignment of a Jewish American Army psychiatrist sent to dissect the mind of Reichsmarschall Hermann Goering. The question wasn’t just what crimes he committed, but how an ordinary man could twist himself into a monster on such a scale.
Brian Cox, playing Goering, delivered a performance so commanding it should have been carved into stone. If this had been a feature film, an Oscar would have been his for the taking. Instead, because it was “only” television, Hollywood pretended not to notice.
Cox, of course, later went on to win accolades worldwide for his role in Succession. I was fortunate enough to meet him in person, and I made sure he knew exactly how much I admired his work in Nuremberg. That performance still ranks among the best portrayals of a historical figure I’ve ever seen.
The script was sharp, the acting airtight, and it remains one of the most historically faithful dramatizations of the trial.
Now, twenty-five years later, Hollywood has circled back with its own take, recycling the same title but this time handing the reins to Russell Crowe. Nobody doubts Crowe’s ability to chew through any role he touches. Expect fireworks. Expect spectacle. And expect a running time slimmed down from the miniseries.
This isn’t going to be a made-for-TV historical reenactment. This is Hollywood aiming straight at Oscar night, with a war chest big enough to make sure you don’t look away. History lessons rarely get the red-carpet treatment, but when they do, they’re designed to leave burn marks on the memory.
Frankly, I can’t wait to see it.
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